Rock Hill officials vote to demolish fire-damaged Bleachery complex

In a 6-to-1 vote Thursday morning at City Hall, Rock Hill leaders agreed to commit $5 million in public money to demolish most of the Bleachery complex. The city also declared an intent to buy the property once it has been cleaned up.

The demolition, which is expected to start this summer and last for six months, will be handled by Will Simmons, owner of Action Demolition in Clover. Simmons was a partner at the site with Rock Hill developer Lynn Stephenson, who died last fall.

“With the passing of Lynn Stephenson, our vision was lost — and our force,” Simmons said. “I’m a demolition expert and a scrap metal trader. I am not a builder.”

The public health hazards posed by the Bleachery were put on display last summer when a pair of intentionally set fires sent smoke billowing into area neighborhoods. City leaders said they were left with few choices.

City officials have held a series of closed-door sessions to hammer out a demolition, abatement and purchase agreement with lead Bleachery Simmons.

The agreement culminates years of negotiations over when and how Rock Hill would commit public money toward cleaning up the property. Demolition is expected to cost between $6 million and $8 million.

Read the full story here.

Video captures implosion in extreme close-up.

The Coast Guard’s Civil Engineering Unit from Juneau and Controlled Demolition, Inc., brought down Alaska’s tallest structure at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Port Clarence using controlled explosives.

At 411 metres, the Long Range Aids to Navigation tower at the Coast Guard LORAN Station was the tallest of its kind in the country but the condition of the tower was deteriorating and with no funding for repairs the tower was at ever-increasing risk of an uncontrolled collapse.

US’ National Demolition Association unveils new reference resource.

Created in partnership with the National Demolition Association, “Demolition: Practices, Technology, and Management” is a new book by Richard J. Diven and Mark Shaurette available from Purdue University Press, West Lafayette, Ind.

The book’s promoters say it is “an invaluable reference resource for anyone involved in demolition projects, particularly students of construction management and engineering.”

Topics covered in the book include a range of technical and management issues encountered by demolition contractors and those who hire them. Topics include modern demolition practices, the impact of different construction types, demolition regulations, estimating demolition work, demolition contracts, safety on the demolition project, typical demolition equipment, debris handling and recycling, use of explosives, demolition contractors’ participation in disaster response, and demolition project management.

Co-author Richard J. Diven has nearly 40 years of experience in the demolition industry as a manager at structural demolition company ICONCO between 1964 and 2000 and then as founder of R. J. Diven Consulting LLC, Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.

Read more here.

Interview with Michelle Aldous and Wendy Stimson of Constructing Better Health.

Constructing Better Health (CBH) is a not-for-profit organisation established to address this situation and to:

• provide demolition contractors with a fitter, healthier workforce
• provide demolition workers with improved levels of personal health
• provide employers and employees with access to information to improve occupational health and to safeguard site safety

Demolition News spoke to Michelle Aldous, CBH chief executive, and Wendy Stimson, CBH occupational health director, to find out more.

Precious metal removal leaves demolition company out-of-pocket.

Pittsburgh Demolition Inc. is suing the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority over its contract to tear down and salvage scrap at Crawford Station, a former power plant on Harrisburg International Airport property, according to a lawsuit filed March 30 filed in Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas.

The company is asking for a judgment against SARAA for $50,000 plus interest, legal fees and other costs, according to the lawsuit.

The authority, which operates HIA in Lower Swatara Township, gave the Allegheny County-based company a contract in November 2008 to demolish the power plant, according to SARAA.

Because of the $1.17 million estimated value of scrap materials in the building, Pittsburgh Demolition proposed paying the authority $287,000 for the project, according to the lawsuit.

The company alleges SARAA either knew and didn’t disclose, or should have known, that precious metals in Crawford’s turbo generators and condensers had been removed, according to the suit. That changed the amount Pittsburgh Demolition would have bid on the project, the suit claims.

Read the full story here.

“Industry surrounded by liars and thieves” according to AED blaster-in-chief.

Now Eric’s a busy guy. In between running one of the US’ foremost explosive demolition companies, Eric and his wife Lisa have a second life as celebrities thanks to their reality TV show, The Imploders, which is due to air Stateside on TLC on 6 May. So to make life easier for everyone, we agreed to send him a set of questions in advance of the interview so that he could give the questions some consideration before trying to conduct a live, trans-Atlantic telephone interview.

True to form, however, Eric decided to do things his own way and actually responded to our questions in writing which means that you’ll have to read the interview rather than listen to it. But trust us, it’s worth it.

What Eric’s answers reveal is that he is a man that is passionate about his work and the industry in which he operates; a man that is frustrated at many aspects of the US demolition business.

Eric is clearly not a guy to mess with. During Demolition News’ first communications with him, he told us in no uncertain terms that “he’d seen our type come and go” and largely dismissed the aims of this website.
However, upon reading his answers (below), we have a new-found respect for Eric Kelly; one of a dying breed.

How did you get into the blasting business in the first place?
“I am a self taught blaster that watched my Dad demo buildings. He was a Pennsylvania coal miner that explained to me the fundamentals of blasting.”

What attracted you to the business?
“I saw my Dad blast a smokestack. I was hooked and trained my desire to explosively demolish buildings, etc.”

What are the biggest challenges facing the US demolition industry as a whole, and the blasting sector in particular?
“The US market has very few players and has plenty of work for the shooters here. AED one ups the competition by tripping buildings and smokestacks.”

There seems to be a lot of talk about who has done the biggest, tallest or longest implosion – What do you make of all that?
“This I do know to be fact…one has to have done the work “successfully” to be considered as “the biggest, tallest, most, etc.”. I’ve successfully shot the largest, most, tallest. The “other” claims should be clearly investigated to find out they weren’t very “successful”. I let the competition try to one up each other and I, the best indicator is loss man hours and loss runs. AED takes a substantial market share of the US implosion business, Thank God.”

There are concerns, certainly on this side of the Atlantic, that there are very few young people coming into the explosive demolition business. You are famous for running a family business – Are you encouraging your children to follow in your footsteps?
“I sincerely believe good demolition Engineers and Blasters are a dying breed. With all the high priced gadgets and equipment out there, it takes away from the old fashioned “smash and dash” aspect of demolition. It taught many people the true science of the demo business. Myself included. The industry is over regulated to the point that “Mom and Pop” are close to being done.”

Given the noise, dust and disruption that blasting can cause, do you foresee a time when it is no longer considered a viable demolition method?
“The noise only happens for a short period. Conventional demo is much more disruptive than implosions. As long as people keep getting hurt in conventional demo and the buildings don’t shrink…I’ll be busy for many years to come. What I do see is there is such a difficulty starting new implosion companies, if you don’t work for one of the major players, slim chance of success! We live in such a litigious society, unless you have a good resume, most companies won’t use you.”

If you were made Secretary of Demolition tomorrow, what would be your first change to the current US demolition business?
“I would stress the discipline, ethics and morality needed to change the image of our industry. The industry is surrounded by liars and thieves. That’s right!!! I said it and you can quote it. Of course, there are some very honorable contractors out there. They’re the ones that don’t have to get every job they bid on; the ones that pay their bills on time and refuse to let lawyers run their company.
Overall, the industry took a change in the early 80’s when certain contractors offered to pay the owner for jobs they should have been paid for. The result was a catastrophic scandal that hurt the industry to this day. I have a wealth of experience seeing our industry go from hard working people to gamblers.
The bad mouthing in the demolition business is past pathetic. The truly sad thing is, society is acclimated to this business practice.”

Husqvarna video shows Bluetooth-enabled remote controlled robot in action.

It is true that we try not to focus too much on equipment here on demolitionews.com. But there are times when, frankly, the temptation is just too great.

Case in point is a new video from demolition robot specialist Husqvarna that shows the company’s new Bluetooth-enable DXR310 machine in action. You can read more about the machine here, but we strongly suggest that you just sit back and enjoy the video:

Free question and answer sessions to address latest asbestos issues.

The team at Spectra Analysis has announced the opening of a new extension to their offices in Basldon. This has created a dedicated room to provide training and conference facilities specifically designed to meet the needs of its clients. As an introductory offer the company is arranging a series of informal, FREE Asbestos-focused question and answers sessions. These sessions are planned to be about one hour long and are free to attend.

The first session will be held at 9am on the 4th June with further sessions following on the first Friday of every month in July, August and September.

Spectra Analysis advise that places are extremely limited and will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Demolition News readers are, therefore, advised to contact Angela Chouaib on 07825 369 381 to book your space today.

UK demolition contractor to reveal plans for former oil rig construction site.

The demolition company interested in taking over the former Nigg oil yard in Easter Ross will unveil its blueprint for the future of the site later. Midlands-based DSM Demolition wants to use the facility to decommission redundant offshore oil structures.

Nigg was used for the construction of oil and gas platforms, but is now largely mothballed. A US company which owns most of the site had planned to redevelop the yard and build offshore wind turbines. However, Highland Council said earlier this month that KBR had withdrawn the proposal.

Last summer, DSM said the massive yard offered an ideal site for the breaking up of redundant ships and oil rigs. Spokesman Mark Cummings said at the time that Nigg was unique to the UK because of its size, deep water access, dry docks and large sheds.

Read more here.

Elderly woman distraught after most of her house is mistakenly torn down.

Associated Press: A Texas woman is trying to figure out what to do after a demolition crew wrongly tore down most of her house, instead of one across the street.

Francis Howard told the Denton Record-Chronicle that “I don’t have the words to say” about what happened to her family’s longtime home.

The 69-year-old woman, who lives with her son in Frisco, said Monday that the family had resided in the Denton home for 47 years.

Much of the house was demolished April 21.

City records show the house that was supposed to be demolished was ordered in January to be repaired or torn down, due to unkept lawns, outside storage, junked vehicles and failure to secure the structure.

The landlord of the property that was to have been demolished declined comment.